Laphroaig Cairdeas

I tried it on Islay last May during the festival and bought a bottle (still to open!) - so theres a recommendation! From what I remember it was excellent. Fairly priced for a festival bottling and packed with flavour. I don't think it is as medicinal as the OB but its still unmistakably Laphroaig. Its a vatting of 11-19 year old whiskies and bottled at cask strength giving it further dimensions from the 10 year old. Apologies I can't be more descriptive but its almost a year since I tried it and at the time I didn't make any notes. I paid £50 for it and have seen it since for over £100 so anywhere under that is good value in my opinion.

@Kutter There are some reviews of it here: connosr.com/reviews/laphroaig/…

@jonmbryant. Thanks. The bottles were available yesterday in the Montreal region. Only 18 bottles available at a very fair price of 90 $ (Canadian dollars, which almost 1:1 USD). In Quebec, the prices use to be very high compared to Europe or USA, but this time it looks good. My friend tried calling to reserve one bottle for 8 minutes at opening and got the 15th bottle... I hope he'll let me taste it. I am sure he will because I have cool tasting to offer him in exchange. I will share my appreciation when he'll let me have a sip.

It's a good Laphroaig at a fair price, but if you can't get it, a 10yo Cask Strength is still a great alternative at an even better price.

@WhiskyNotes Yeah! The problem is that our state-owned liquor stores in Quebec doesn't keep Laphroaig as a regular product. The Quarter Cask is sold twice a year and usually goes sold out in the next week of its release. The 10 years old and the 10 years old cask strength are never sold here.

I have the Quarter Cask, which I really enjoy and I have managed to taste several other Laphroaig like the 10, 10 CS, 18 and 25. I just can't buy them here so I have to be imaginative.

@Kutter I feel your pain. The SAQ almost never carries the stuff unfortunately. However our good friends at the LCBO do. Anytime I feel the need for a bottle they usually carry it. They almost always have the Quarter Cask (for around $65 if memory serves) and occasionally they have some of the others you mentioned (though i will not pay over 600 for the 25y).

Does anyone know if you can buy Laphroaig Cairdeas on the internet? I live in Minneapolis and I heard they were shipping some here but I can't locate it. My dad would love to get his hands on a bottle and I want to find one for Fathers day!

@WhiskyNotes have you tasted it? I have read mixed opinions about it...Oliver from Malt Maniacs rated it 86, but the Italian friends of Laphroaig who attended the Feis Ile seemed disappointed with it...the price is surely fair, that's nice of Laphroaig...

I've tried and compared the 2008, 2009 and 2010 versions: www.whiskynotes.be

Haven't tried the 2011 version but I'm sure it will be very similar.

here's some review copied from Master of Malt for the 2011 bottling:

Nose: Good level of sweetness on the nose. We get Gipsy Tart dressed with TCP (not a recommended dessert), some light fruit, perhaps a hint of stewed pear and vanilla. Hints of sooty smoke, and maybe even some lychee and menthol too, and just a soupcon of perfume. Palate: Really oily, with huge peat smoke mixed with creamy, buttery sweetness. As you hold it in the mouth, foam banana sweets develop, with hints of chocolate and apple strudel. It tastes exactly like a sweeter version of the pungent smell at the distillery; there’s that wonderful savoury peat smoke from the maltings; some seaweady/slightly medicinal tones (which drift in from the beach); and slightly dry salt air. Finish: Long. Big charcoal notes at the back of the palate, maybe just a suggestion of Mezcal, which works really well. Overall: A great dram. In fact, our favourite Feis Ile bottling so far! It’s a bit like peated bourbon. ‘Pourbon’ if you will.

Just got myself 2 bottles.... waiting for that along with 2 bottles of the Alligator...

Hey Jeremiah Reuss, Just go to Top Value in Columbia Heights (off of Central). They have it in quantity. Not sure if it is on the shelf yet or what price.

@JeremiahReuss Hey man, Top Value does have it on the shelf, but of the 30 bottles they got, 20 are gone. Get it quick if you want it.

Top Value is sold out. Now, Haskells has about 20 left (of 180 bottles) and Surdyks has quite a bit. It is more expensive, however.